02/07/2025
(December – January Update)
Dear Residents,
We sincerely apologize for the delay in providing this update, as the past couple months have been marked by significant changes. Below is a detailed report summarizing our recent activities, achievements, and future plans for the community.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2024 Recap:
The HOA team successfully conducted the AGM on November 18, 2024. During the meeting, we presented a comprehensive overview of our accomplishments, including:
Financial Efficiency: Efforts to reduce overspending in certain areas and reallocate funds to initiatives like holiday lighting without imposing additional financial burdens on residents.
Scope of Work: Clarification of the HOA’s responsibilities, emphasizing that certain issues (e.g., traffic concerns) fall under the City’s jurisdiction, not the HOA’s. Despite this, the HOA has proactively advocated for neighborhood safety.
Future Plans: Discussion of areas for improvement and upcoming projects to enhance community living.
Our community spans 308 hectares, making our scope of service significantly larger than neighboring communities such as Orchards, Paisley, Graydon Hill, or Desrochers. This requires careful planning and resource allocation to maintain high standards.
Key Achievements and Updates:
1. Enhanced Communication and Transparency:
Since gaining access to the HOA page in April 2024, we have made approximately 35 detailed posts to keep residents informed and address transparency concerns. Additionally, we invited community members to participate in landscaping projects, fostering collaboration and shared decision-making.
Our Landscaping Director renegotiated contracts with service providers to increase the scope of work while reducing costs. Regular updates, including photos of completed work, have been shared to demonstrate progress and justify expenditures. This approach has not only improved transparency but also enhanced the neighborhood’s aesthetic appeal.
2. Financial Management:
Despite rising costs for power bills, maintenance, contractors’ fees, insurance, and professional services, the HOA has not increased fees since its inception in 2021. Our current fees remain at $135 + GST for single-family homes and $67.50 + GST for condos, significantly lower than neighboring communities ($250–$750/year).
To maintain financial stability, we:
- Renegotiated contractor terms and reduced unnecessary expenses (e.g., canceling Microsoft licenses and switching to Google’s non-profit Suite).
- Reduced landscaping costs from $179,861 in 2023 to under $120,000 in 2024, while improving services and adding six large flower beds with evergreen trees, perennials, and annuals.
3. Accounts and Audit:
Upon taking office in 2024, the new board discovered that bookkeeping and audit reports for 2023 were incomplete. The team worked diligently to gather data from previous contractors and accounting firms, resulting in a one-month delay for the AGM. We are pleased to report that bookkeeping is now up to date including 2024.
4. Addressing Negative Communication:
Unfortunately, we have observed instances of negative and unconstructive communication on community social media platforms. While constructive criticism is welcome, spreading hate or misinformation harms our community’s reputation.
In some instances, some previous board members use negativity and hate to target the current board that actually received outstanding compliments and support from the community in the last AGM.
We urge residents to:
- Educate themselves about the HOA’s scope of work or consult us while in doubt. (We will also post more informative messages)
- Reach out to us directly with concern before posting publicly or supporting ignorant and negative commentors.
- Support the volunteer board members who dedicate hundreds of hours to serve the community.
Gratitude and Recognition:
We extend our heartfelt thanks to:
*Resident Volunteers: For assisting with AGM logistics, including seating arrangements, material distribution, and technical support.
*Attendees: For their active participation, compliments and encouragement at the AGM. We want to extend our special thanks to the residents on Ashcraft Cape where we saw a large turnout of approx. 15 members. Their concerns were very well heard of and addressed. We highly appreciate their resolve to support Allard HOA operations and support in beautifying the entire community.
*Supportive Residents: For their constructive feedback and positive reinforcement. We also invited Jennifer Rice, Ward Councilor, to share some updates on the traffic issues. We heartily thank her for her valuable time.
Board Update:
We are excited to welcome three new members to the board following the AGM. While they are still familiarizing themselves with processes and tools, their fresh perspectives will undoubtedly strengthen our team. We still have two open positions, mainly secretary, and director of communications. We invite the interested residents to reach out to us at [email protected] to assume any of these positions and support our beautiful community.
Closing Remarks:
The HOA remains committed to enhancing our community through transparency, financial responsibility, and resident collaboration. We encourage everyone to continue supporting our efforts and to reach out with any questions or suggestions.
Thank you for being part of the Allard family.
Sincerely,
Allard Homeowners Association
